I will defend her
by LeiaOSS13
Summary: Alternate New Moon ending. What if Bella had been gravely injured when she jumped? What would Edward fin when he returned? Songfic to Defender by the Cruxshadows. Re-uploaded in an attempt to fix the viewing error.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. I just get random ideas for other people characters and have to play with them.**

**AN: I am re-uploading this because it came out all messed up. Hopefully using a different program fixes it and makes it read-able!**

**Edwards POV:**

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

The mantra pulsed through my head.

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

Again and again, the same words, the same questions repeated themselves. Why hadn't I been there to catch her? Why did I leave her alone?

_By vigil's light this night to keep_

_Watching eyes fall over her_

_Moments lost, fragments unseen_

_But I will still be here_

"Edward, nice to see you back in town." One of the orderlies said. I didn't so much as glance his way. Who would think I could make simple conversation at a time like this. I hadn't been there in time to catch her. The doctor came out. "Edward, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. She's brain dead. Her body is still alive but without the machines even that would be gone."

_They say this cause is lost_

_And she will not return to me_

_They say that she is gone_

_And this is just a shell unliving_

They tell me to leave, that I can do no more here. How could I leave her again? After what happened the first time I left

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here_

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

Carlisle tells me there is little I can do. He says that she is too far gone for medicine to save. He reminds me that, though I may not want it, there is another option. I shudder at the thought of changing her without giving her the choice.

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here_

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

I think back to our previous conversations. I knew she did want this at one time. But, after what I did to her, what if she didn't want it any longer? One glance at her lifeless body and I make up my mind.

_I will defend her._

I am selfish, I can't live without her. So even though she may have changed her mind, I place my lips to her neck…

_By dancing light alone in the darkness_

_My eyes play tricks with the shadows_

_Prayers for miracles seem to pass unheard_

_But I am with her still_

I watch as she remains perfectly still. Carlisle can't tell me if it will work because he never tried to turn someone who was brain dead, only people with physical injuries.

_They say this cause is lost_

_And she will not return to me_

_They say that she is gone_

_And this is just a shell unliving_

As I wait, I think of Jacob. That foolish werewolf who thinks he loves her but wasn't around when she needed him. He showed me how she was without me. He tells me she was almost this way before the accident, catatonic, he says…

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here_

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here_

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

I have to believe it will work… but if it doesn't? I must think of what to do then. I think it most likely that the Volturi will help me… If not, I'll provoke them.

_There is no fact, that cannot be challenged_

_No course of fate, we cannot repair_

_The means to an end is in the beginning_

_Strength to endure, comes out of despair_

_Where there is love, there is life_

_And where there is life, there is hope_

_(There is hope..)_

_And in hope we find the sight to see_

_The essence of divinity_

Alice comes in. She tells me she sees Bella getting better but she does so while chanting the pledge of allegiance in Portuguese in her head, so I know something is wrong. She is probably lying. She must not want me to go to the Volturi... but it matters not. In a day, I will be certain…

_They say this cause is lost_

_And she will not return to me_

_They say that she is gone_

_And this is just a shell unliving_

I can see her breathing. I remember when the sound of her breathing would calm me down. I remember watching her dream. Hearing her talk… hearing her say my name with such love and affection. Knowing I didn't deserve it, knowing I was a monster.

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here_

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

I see her finally start to move, she is so beautiful I can barely stand it. Of course, she will likely refuse to believe that. She opens her eyes and looks at me and says "You came back." It's a question, but I can hear the love in her voice that remains after all this time. That gives me the strength I need to survive.

"Of course, I came back. I couldn't stay away from you. Nothing will ever tear me away again."

_And through each moment believing_

_She knows, that I will not leave her_

_One life held fast to another _

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

"What happens if Jasper takes another snap at me?" She says with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, cannibalism has never occurred to him." Only then does she notice that she has changed, I can see in her face that she believes that I'll stay. The fact that I changed her was enough proof to right my previous wrongs.

_And through the dark of the morning_

_She fades, but I will not leave here _

_Fight back the demons around us_

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

"I love you" She whispers sometime later, as she lays curled in my arms. Even as I reply "I love you too" I know that I am truly complete and that she will get her happily ever after because I will make sure it happens.

_And through each moment believing_

_She knows, that I will not leave her_

_One life held fast to another _

_Love lives, and I will defend her_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

_(I will defend her...)_

_Love lives, and I will defend her._

And so I will for the rest of eternity.


End file.
